Discount Digs

Decorate Rich offers posh home pieces at great prices

In these economic times, who wouldn't want to achieve a high-end look on a budget? Heck, in any economic times who wants to spend more than you have to for the look you crave?

Whatever that look, you just might find the one pieceor two or three that provides the wow factor to pull it all together at Decorate Rich, a new home interiors consignment boutique. Located in the Rose Hall Shoppes of Virginia Beach on the Boulevard between the Francis Land House and Kings Grant Road, this brain child of Dusty Amadio joins the ranks of popular fashion consignment boutiques inthe area as a member of the VB Repeats co-op.

Armadio, a transplant from New York City, became smitten with Hampton Roads while vacationing with her husband in Corolla, N.C. She decided to parlay her fashion sense (think clothing design in London and Milan), her artistry (think the Sorbonne in Paris) and her high-end cosmetics and spa/salon retail experience (think Bloomingdales on 59th Street and Georgette Klinger) into the newest idea to sprout up in our areas home décor landscape. Admitting to a willingness to shop any kind of store for a good deal, and describing her own I-dont-find-anythingwrong- with-gargoyles-and-castles style as Biltmore, Armadio set out to create a welcoming storefront that offers an eclectic blend of the artful, the whimsical and the classical, all tastefully combined. Wood floors, white walls softened with filmy white panels, and accent walls and floral fabric in a fresh color scheme of sunny yellow, dove gray, black and white provide a stylish backdrop for consigners fun, fabulous, interesting castoffs that are too good for a thrift store (though there is nothing wrong with a good thrift store).

When they moved to condominiums in Virginia Beach from their large NYC apartment, Armadio and her husband had to reduce the sheer quantity oftheir belongings. This forced Armadio to pare down and be ultra-selective. I only picked really select beautiful things and didnt cram them in ... people loved it.

A staunch believer that its what you do with the things you have, but realizing that not everyone has the time or confidence to act on that axiom, Armadiowill gladly provide decorating and staging
services, as well as seek out special pieces for customers, one of her favorite challenges.

The moral to this story is that you may not be rich, but you can decorate your living spaceeven a small one with objects that make you feel like you are.

Betsy DiJulio

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